Daily Republican., 1887-08-26
GEORGE ST EPBENsON.
An In ncldent iu tho ksrIy Career OF q
Great Genius.

Near the mouth OF pit in one OF
the great collicries of tho north of En-
gland, good many years ago. q young
lad was sitting on the ground, SEEM
ingly engaged in modelling something
out of the soft clay.
At first sight you would have
thought him perfect young savage,
and certainly he did not look very re-
spectacle. His bare feet were as black
and hard as the Jumps of coal that lay
strewn about him, and his face was
grimed up to the very roots of his close
cropped hair, and his entire clothing
consisted OF pair of tattered fustian
pants thickly smeared with coal dust,
and ragged shirt of coarse flannel,
stained with grease, SCOT and dirt.
But the large, deep, thoughtful eyes
with which he looked 30 keenly at
everything around him were not the
ewes of one who would be content to
! do nothing more all his life than hand
| ling a pickaxe or wheeling barrel of
coal; and his firm lips snd massive jaw
told of an iron resolution which no
peril could daunt and no difficulty
wear out.
So completely taken up was our
hero with what he was about that he
seemed quite unaware of the presence
of two of his comrades, who were
watching him from little distance.
"He be soft chap, yon lad," said
the bigger of the two, ,contemptuously
"Instead o. takin' his fun like the res'
o. us, driukin' beer and settin' the
Idogs a-fightin', he be always messing
in the clay like babby."
she be clever lad, though, for a
THAT" answered the other. "See wha,
he's a-making there2 It's a model o.
lour engine, as like as ever it can be.
1 so tits, for sartin," said the other
looking wonderingly at the model
"its as like as it twas it,"
"Ay, and he be farming to read too
he walks three mile to the schoC
thrice a week, after works done.'
"But what good'll that do himg
Icried the taller man; she'll just be
Ipoor collier like the rest of us"
"You're wrong there, jack" sal
:, 1.-THE young modeler, overhearing th
last words; tits just because don
Imean to be always POOR collier tht
I'm Farming to read, for man can d
.!naurht i the world without that"
THY schooling won't help the
Imuch = though, Geordie, when the
lioin Tom Nelson's gang to morrow,
Unanswered Jack, with hoarse laugf
D l"Tom's more tor fighting than reac
ling, and he'll dust thy jacket"
The next morning there was gre
Istlr at the mouth OF II e Callerton Fl
BLACK Tom Nelson, the bully OF Il
lIworks, was pouring volley of coar
abuse upon .Quiet Geordie" Gas Il
lyoung modeler was called by h
Icomrades) for some alleged clumsine
lin doing his work; and every one W
10 curious to see how he would take it.
"Well, appeal to these men lie
who stood by and saw what l did
: said George, with perfect oomposui
lalthough most lads of his age wou
lhave been grevously scared by Il
bulky frame and laundering voice
~ 1.-The bully, and by the threatenil
whirl of his sledge hammer fists. .
= they say l did wrong, III give in"
z. "None o. yer appealin' for me
troared Black Tom, stamping his hu
foot fiercely. ~ say thee did buns
the job, and if thee don't give in
thrash the"
The young brakeman's eyes flash
fire, but his tone was still as quiet
lever.
II don't want to quarrel with you
said he, firmly; 'but if you won't
:. me do my work in peace without
IN flight, meet me this evening in
al Dolly Pit Field at Z o'clock, and J
Ishall see whether l am coward
b. mot"
At this bold challenge Tom Nell
'n' was as much astonished as Coli
when confronted by David. But
Il, was always ready for battle, ard I
,p Itime he accepted all the more will
sn ly because he felt certain OF winni
= THE other men were ofmuch the So
q Iopii,ion, and when the time came,
a, 1.-THE slim, half-grown youth stood
to face with the brawnychampion v
had beaten 30 many strong men
ready, the utmost that any one co
Ih0pe was tnat poor UeOfuie Ill
mot be killed outright.
But the slender frame held a 81
(which in after years was to face the
nf Iposition of all England without Civ
Oil way; and the lookers-on soon perc
led to their utmost amazement
Black Tom, big and powerful tho
oz. he was, was likely to have no
)cz work of it.
George, far lighter and more ac
all. THAN his bulky adversary, kept m
ling nimbly around him. avoiding
hammer like blows with a dexte
which made the baffled bully dou
ferocious. seeming to grow coole
tt his enemy grew hotter, and receis
without flinching several hard kns
ran (which he could not avoid, he d
y; ! :s, : Nelsen hither and thither all aro'
Phi, the battlefield, till the hulking pitt
,usi was quite out OF breath.
\. Key y, Then George darted in like Ii!
iyiS ming, and made his blows tell in e
-i' eat Thrice the enraged bally rus
. Ion like o mad bull; and thrice he
ynu, r%S sent reeling back, bruised and
snty TERED, amid the uproarious cheer
: no the aetonished and delighted spt
HIM WV Ill ,Hva v.fad y